Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

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NewYorkHerper16
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Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

Post by NewYorkHerper16 »

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incuhead2000
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Re: Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

Post by incuhead2000 »

It sounds like you are on the right track, just keep looking they will turn up if they are there. When I first started herping like it was my job I had trouble finding them but now they just seem to turn up where and whenever randomly for me. The real key is to just go outside, and try partly cloudy/cloudy days and evenings to catch them out and about, usually by morning the majority of them will be hiding out under cover, but sometimes they will suprise you when the conditions seem to be nowhere near perfect to see one.

The first one I herped after years of failure was in the morning on a super hot day in August along a dried up creekbed conditions were horrible but I worked hars that year for it and it paid off!
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Mike VanValen
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Re: Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

Post by Mike VanValen »

Habitat looks good, though that doesn't guarantee they are there. I don't know enough about the historical populations in that area to comment, but you should probably research that.

Starting in May they become harder to spot as they often bask partially in shade and in crevices.

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In my opinion it's worth looking throughout summer as they will often (in my experience) be the only snake out during hot summer days, sitting motionless in the shade.

This pair was seen in late July.

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All of these copperheads are in spots on the waters edge, from various Connecticut populations.

Good luck.
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NewYorkHerper16
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Re: Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

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cbernz
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Re: Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

Post by cbernz »

I usually find them on bare rock ridges, nestled in dead leaves between boulders. A power cut going up a mountain where there are lots of rocks would be a good place to look.
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incuhead2000
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Re: Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

Post by incuhead2000 »

I've always noticed increased movement in late August and early Septemeber in relation to them moving back to hibernacula and most years the increased front movements caused by hurricane season also push the snakes. During this time road cruising has worked best for me. Don't lose hope even if there are lot's of hikers. These two were found at an extremely popular overlook in August on a cloudy day and one that gets hit hard by delinquent behavior but the copperheads still live here.

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NewYorkHerper16
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Re: Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

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davhug1
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Re: Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

Post by davhug1 »

Three years ago when i started looking for snakes, i didnt find my first copperhead until late august and it was by accident. It swam up from the river and hid under a log along the river of all places. As i started finding them on a more consistent basis, i've noticed from my experience that most are partially basking from rocks at the base of rocky slopes and the ones i find on the slopes are usually in cracks. I occassionaly will find one in the open but for me its rare. I also found quite a bit partially hidden in the leaf liter next to large rocks with a sunny exposure.
davhug1
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Re: Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

Post by davhug1 »

davhug1 wrote:Three years ago when i started looking for snakes, i didnt find my first copperhead until late august and it was by accident. It swam up from the river and hid under a log along the river of all places. As i started finding them on a more consistent basis, i've noticed from my experience that most are partially basking from rocks at the base of rocky slopes and the ones i find on the slopes are usually in cracks. I occassionaly will find one in the open but for me its rare. I also found quite a bit partially hidden in the leaf liter next to large rocks with a sunny exposure.
By far one of the more difficult snakes for me to find.
scott borden
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Re: Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

Post by scott borden »

sometimes it just takes tons of leg work. the Hudson valley is my stomping grounds for herping,,,this last year it took a lot of work to find both eastern hognose and ringnecks on one of our properties but we finally did. we also have 1 or 2 copperhead dens we know of...and find them somewhat regularly....but we have more than one spot that we swear they should be there,,,and have yet to prove it. its all about persistence.
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tomharten
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Re: Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

Post by tomharten »

I grew up in the Hudson Valley (Rockland Co.) and we would often find them as described above, by checking out rock crevices, etc. We would also find them frequently under A/C, particularly large sheets of sheets of plastic, but also plywood, etc. especially if the cover items were located near the base of a rock slope.

I now live in southern MD and have only rarely find copperheads under cover, most often I see them when road cruising, in fact, they are by far, the most common species seen on the roads on a warm summer night.
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NewYorkHerper16
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Re: Copperhead Habitat in the Northeast?

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